By admin When I initially planned my 2019 travels, Machu Picchu was high, high on my list. The iconic Inca site intrigued me with its awe-inspiring beauty and spell-binding history. My friends Lauren and Karen both dreamed about visiting as well, so I gained some travel buddies instantly. Since peak season to visit Peru is during the northern hemisphere summer, we planned for a late September trip to take advantage of fewer crowds and still-good weather before the beginning of the country’s rainy season.
Planning a Visit to Machu Picchu
It’s not easy to get to Machu Picchu, which is surely helping to save the already over-touristed destination from further damage. As of now, international visitors need to fly into Lima, then to Cusco. The domestic flight is only about one and a half hours, but we decided to stick around in Lima for a couple nights to enjoy its world-renowned food scene. Once in Cusco, there are many options to get to Machu Picchu: start in Cusco and hike the Inca Trail in, stay in Cusco and take the train in (then bus in), stay in Aguas Calientes and bus in, stay in the upscale Belmond Sanctuary Lodge at the entrance to the park, or stay elsewhere in the Sacred Valley and train in, which is what we opted to do, with the help of Explora. There are also multiple train options, ranging from basic to luxury.
On top of the decision of where to stay, visitors need to book tickets to Machu Picchu in advance, deciding not only what time they want to enter the park, but which kind of access they want. There are three options: 1) Machu Picchu only, 2) Machu Picchu + Montaña, or 3) Machu Picchu + Huayna Picchu). The second two ticket types include access to additional hiking trails, but are only sold to 400 people per day, so purchase is recommended months in advance.
All the options make it rather overwhelming to book a trip to Machu Picchu.
Our Visit to Machu Picchu with Explora
One of the benefits of staying with Explora was that all the Machu Picchu logistics were handled for us. Our entire visit was coordinated, starting with the van from Explora to the train, the train to Aguas Calientes, the bus to Machu Picchu, and the return trip (not to mention the best part: our expert guide JJ, who accompanied us from start to finish). While we didn’t have the option to take the luxury Belmond Hiram Bingham train, nor could we hike the Montaña or Huayna Picchu trails, the Sacred Valley train was quite comfortable and we were still able to enjoy some trekking.
Unless you’re hiking into Machu Picchu, you have to take one of the many trains to Aguas Calientes, then catch a bus to the park (as far as I know, no fancy VIP transfer options exist, but don’t quote me on that). As we waited to board our bus, we laughed about the inaccuracies on our Machu Picchu tickets. Mine said I was 38 (I was younger), from Brazil (nope), and female (at least that part was right).
JJ told us that sometimes the wait for a bus could be up to an hour, but we lucked out and got on board in less than 15 minutes.
Once we got to the top, we scrambled off the bus, stopped for a bathroom break (no bathrooms once we entered) and showed our tickets, dubious demographics and all. Then we were in!
A Quick History Break
While undeniably the best-known Inca site today, Machu Picchu didn’t actually hold a position of much importance in the prime of the ancient civilization. Built in the mid-fifteenth century, the site was virtually abandoned a century later once the Spanish arrived. It remained unknown to the Europeans until Hiram Bingham (from the U.S.) re-discovered the city in 1911 on his search for the Lost City of the Inca, Vilcabamba. While Bingham believed that Machu Picchu and Vilcabamba were one and the same, it was later determined that this wasn’t the case. Because the Spanish never knew about the site, it was saved from the plunder and destruction that befell many other indigenous developments. (By the way, I highly recommend reading The Conquest of the Incas before making a trip to Peru. It shed a ton of light on the history of the region for me.)
Inti Punku Hike & Touring the City Ruins
While we weren’t able to do the famed Huayna Picchu or Montaña treks, we did get to do the hike up to Inti Punku, or the Sun Gate. This is also the entrance to the city from the Inca Trail, and while all visitors to Machu Picchu are able to access the route to Inti Punku, most choose to simply stay near the ruins and maximize the photo opps (if they’re not doing one of the more aggressive hikes, of course). It took us a little over an hour to hike up to Inti Punku, and the trail was much less crowded than I expected it to be. We enjoyed lunch at the top, then headed back down for a tour of the ancient city.
After a tour of the ruins, where we marveled over the Inca’s ability to tightly sculpt and shape stones into structures that would withstand powerful earthquakes over centuries, we decided it was time for a bathroom and lunch break. Karen then noticed that my arms were covered in bug bites. A couple of the other guys on the excursion had also been eaten alive, and we deduced that the three of us had been attacked while seeking respite in the shade off the trail and listening to JJ recount the history of the place. Word of advice: wear insect repellent.
While our lunch in Aguas Calientes was unmemorable, the beers were satisfying after our long and active day. We eventually boarded the train for the ride back to Explora, tired but content. Another bucket list trip successfully completed.
